I Need You
by ValidateMyPride
Summary: After her father dies Ellie goes to see the one person that she knows will understand - Craig.


A / N : Hi! (: This is my first Crellie fic I've been writing Fanfiction for a really long time and I've shipped Crellie for a long, long time so here's my story for them. Enjoy!

A / N Part Two : Set after _Degrassi Goes Hollywood _

"_Nothing can wear you out like caring about people." - S. E. Hinton_

Honestly, she didn't know how she got here. Well, she kind of does but most of it is a blur. All she remembered was attending her fathers funeral, putting the rose on the casket touching his body and then feeling cold after. The next thing she remembers she's standing in front of Craig's door with her bag in her hand in LA. She's staring at the door and she actually memorizes the pattern in the wood. She raises her hand and knocks quietly and then she stands there. No one comes to the door and she's relieved. She turns to walk away but then the door opens and there's a shirtless Craig, bed head and all. He's rubbing his eyes and she's confused. She looks down at her phone and the numbers flash 2 :12 AM at her.

Then, she feels stupid. She mumbles a sorry and that she'll come back another time, you know, when it's not 2 AM. But he grabs her wrist.

"El, what are you doing here?" His expression went from tired and confused to concerned and confused. She's still in her black dress that she wore to the funeral. The ponytail that her hair was in now falling around everywhere. She looked like a mess and she knew that. She opens her mouth to say something but instead tears just stream down her face. At first he was lost for words, wondering why a 24 year old Ellie Nash who always seemed to have her life together would fly for God knows how long to come cry on his door step. But then he didn't think about that anymore. All he thought about was that Ellie, _his _Ellie was crying and he had to do something about it.

So, he pulled her inside and he hugs her tightly to his chest His nose is in her hair and he's inhaling the scent of her shampoo and it comforts him as if he's the one that needs the comfort right now. But, it makes him feel like he's at home. His hands slid down her back and if it was even possible pulled him closer to him. So that's where they stood for a while until her sobs died down and he could think straight. "El," He said pulling away from her and lifting up her head to take a good look at her. Her eyes were swelled and red and there were tear stains all down her face and then his heart broke into a million pieces. He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Go into the bedroom. I'll be right there."

She nodded and then walked back into the bedroom and he stared after her then rubbed his face.

_What the hell was he going to do?  
_

* * *

He doesn't know what else to do so he lets her stay. He doesn't have a girlfriend anymore, not even anyone on the radar and she needed him no ifs, ands, or buts about it. She was there for him when he needed her, and now he'll be there for her. She falls asleep almost as soon as her head hit's the pillow. She's wearing his shirt and he actually watches her sleep for a while before he tries to go to sleep himself.

He gets up earlier then he usually does the next morning, earlier than he should be up considering he didn't go to bed until 4 AM. He looks over at the red head next to him and she's out. She had rolled over on her stomach and she was hugging the pillow below her and she actually looked peaceful a change from what she was last night. He gets out of bed, careful not to wake her. He rubs his face before putting on a pot of coffee. He grabbed the phone and dialed Marco's number before holding it up to his ear and muffling a yawn.

"Hello?" Came Marco's voice.

"Ellie's here. In case you were wondering." Craig says into the phone this time actually yawning as he poured himself a cup of coffee and taking it out onto his balcony. He sat down on one the chairs and listened to the ocean waves with one ear and Marco with the other.

"Oh, I know." Came his reply. He heard some rustling on the other end.

"What? You knew she was coming here and you could send me a text. 'Hey, Craig. El's on her way there don't go to sleep until she gets there and keep a shirt on.' I would've picked her up from the airport."

"She didn't tell me she was actually going." Marco laughed into the phone then more rustling. "But I kind of thought she would. Her dad passed away a few days ago and she kept saying things about you. So I kind of figured. Is she okay?"

"She's sleeping. I don't really have the heart to wake her up."

"No!" Marco exclaimed making Craig jump and pull the phone away from his ear. "Let her sleep. She hasn't been doing much of that. And she hasn't been eating either."

"Why are you yelling at me?"

"I'm just making sure you hear me. You have a listening problem."

"Thanks, Marco." Craig stood up with his coffee and walked over to the railing and leaned against it. "I'll take care of her."

"Make sure she comes home, Craig."

"I can't promise you anything."

"Craig, she needs to be home."

Craig looked up and saw her standing in the middle of the living room arms crossed over her chest and looking around for him. "Like I said, can't promise anything. I'll call you later. Bye." He hangs up before Marco can give him anymore shit about Ellie coming home and how she needs to be home. He walks in and smiles at her. "Morning, Nash." Her back is to him and she jumps and then turns to look at him. She smiles a little.

"Hey." Her voice is unnaturally quiet and it actually scares him a little bit. He walks over to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Coffee?" He asks her giving her a half smile. She nodded before sitting on the counter then putting her face in her hands. He watched her for a second before he heart the sobs start again. "Oh, El." He put the empty mug on the counter before walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her. She put her head on his shoulder and he could feel the tears seeping through his shirt and onto his skin. He put his hand on the back of her head and just held her listening to her cry then try to stop crying. He leaned down and kissed some of her exposed shoulder once which seemed to calm her down just a little.

He couldn't make her go back and he wouldn't.

She needed him to rescue her and that's what he was going to do.

* * *

It's a week later when things started to get really heated between them. They weren't fighting, it wasn't awkward but they've just had some close calls. She walked in on him getting out of the shower and her face is a crimson red as she turns away apologizing over and over before shutting the door. He had to laugh a little because this was Ellie. Shy little Ellie. But, they let it go.

But then he walks into his bedroom while she's changing and he sees _everything. _He doesn't mind, but she does. He turns around and apologizes like she had the previous day. She quickly puts on his shirt that was laying on the ground and she tells him it's okay. When he turns around his eyes are glued to her legs. He tells her he's going to the studio and she nods then looks down at the floor. He stumbles out of the apartment and realizes he's totally fucked when it comes to Ellie Nash.

Just, completely fucked.

* * *

After that, it's a few days since anything happens. But then he walks in from a long day at the studio and she's sleeping on the couch. He walks over to her and gets down on his knees and runs a hand through her hair. She's cuddled in his shirt and his blanket that he had resting on the back of the couch. Her eyes flutter open and he smiled at her. She stretches and he watches her.

"Morning."

"Actually," He smiles. "It's like 8."

"What?" She sits up quickly and looks over at him. He laughs at her then shrugs.

"Don't worry about it. Wanna get pizza tonight?"

"Buf-"

"Buffalo Wing pizza." He smiles back at her. "I know."

By the time the pizza comes neither one of them want to get up to get it. Ellie's pressed against Craig's side with her head on his chest. They're watching some show on MTV and her hand is making circles on his abdomen. The knock comes and he groans and throws his head back. "Fuck." he mumbled before gently pushing her away from him making her pout and getting the pizza. He comes back to sit with her and she puts her face in his neck.

"Marco wants me to come home."

"I know."

"I'm not going."

He looks down at her and raises an eyebrow. "Why not?"

She looks small as she looks up at him and bites her lip. "I don't want to leave you."

He pushes a piece of red hair behind her ear and kisses her forehead. "I don't want you to leave." He whispers against her hair.

He feels tears against his neck and he frowns. "El, don't cry. Please? Please don't cry."

"I love you." She says shakily. He smiles before he kisses her.

"I love you more. Always have, always will."


End file.
